The Russians are painting images of combat aircraft directly on the runway at air bases inside occupied Ukraine in an apparent attempt to throw off targeting efforts.
Moscow has been forced to implement several such decoy attempts as a result of continued successful Ukrainian strikes on Russian military locations, British officials said.
U.K. military intelligence officials said they identified decoy fighter aircraft painted on the concrete at Kirovskoe Airfield in occupied Crimea and at least 12 other Russian air bases.
The move demonstrates the extent of Russian concern about future Ukrainian strikes and their ability to repel them, U.K. officials said Tuesday in their latest assessment of the battlefield in Ukraine.
“However, Russian helicopters still regularly land on the painted decoy fighter silhouettes, completely undermining the deception attempt,” British officials posted on X.
It also reveals the true order of battle or aircraft strength at the bases, which Russian military officials are likely trying to mask from Ukrainian intelligence-gathering efforts, British officials said.